The seconds tick away ... and Hengci remains unaware of what to say or do.

Pretty soon, however, a few memories come to mind, and then he knows.

"I can't see you," he says. "So I can't tell, if you need a hug."

He hears Xu Wen's smile behind him.

"I don't," he says, and when Hengci tries to turn around, Xu Wen's hand tightens against his back. "I don't," he repeats.

Hengci stares at the wall before him and further down to the continuous movement of people across the lobby. His hand goes behind, and then it tightens around Xu Wen's wrist.

Despite his resistance, Hengci manages to pull it away as gently and as firmly as he can.

Then he turns around, and meets the lost and forlorn look in his eyes, but yet Xu Wen is also wearing a smile.

"I taught you that," he says, and Hengci sighs.

"You didn't 'teach' me," he says softly. "It was just something you threw around all the time."

"Only to you," Xu Wen corrects. "You always looked like you needed a hug... all the time. I would say it and then you would give me that dirty, wicked frown." He smiles again. "Now that I think about it, it sounded quite childish didn't it?"

Hengci looks at him. "Maybe, but I've grown older to find that adults need hugs more than kids ever do."

Xu Wen stares at him, long and hard.

"Do you remember what you said to me in response?"

"After the hundredth time of you mentioning it?"

"Oh c'mon, it wasn't up to a hundred," he smiles, gaze lowering to his feet.

"Then fucking offer one to me," Hengci says, and Xu Wen looks back up at him from underneath his lashes. "That's what I said."

"Yeah."

Hengci takes a step towards him and Xu Wen retreats. So he stops, and asks. "What's wrong?"

It takes a long moment, but Xu Wen eventually responds.

"What's right?" his voice is barely above a whisper.

Hengci studies him, and then turns back around, his gaze going to the glistening chandelier in the distance.

"Hold me?" Hengci says, and not until Xu Wen's hand once again grabs the back of his waistcoat and pulls, does he take another breath.

He is stopped by Xu Wen's forehead as it rests against the back of his head.

Hengci waits, but when another long moment passes but yet Xu Wen doesn't do or say anything else, he reaches behind, and finds the hand hanging by Xu Wen's side.

Hengci strokes across the tense, warm, skin, softly... gently, and then he links Xu Wen's fingers with his.

He hears Xu Wen's amused smile from behind, so encouraged, he lifts the hand and curves it around his waist. He holds it there, but pretty soon he doesn't have to because Xu Wen's grip against his back loosens, and then he rounds the hand around Hengci to complete the embrace.

"Nothing has felt good in a long time," Xu Wen says. "But this does."

He then pulls Hengci even closer to him, until their bodies are plastered together.

Hengci wishes more than anything that he can see his eyes, but since he currently cannot, he simply conjures it to mind.

"What's wrong?" Hengci asks again. "I can help you. I'll help you."

He hears Xu Wen's smile again. "Do you have a million dollars?"

Hengci is taken aback.

"I'm serious," Xu Wen shakes him lightly. "Because that would help. Immensely."

Hengci then feels Xu Wen's head lift from against his, so he turns sideways to catch his gaze. He finds them staring right at him as Xu Wen rests his chin on Hengci's shoulder.

He swallows before he speaks, but yet his voice comes out hoarse. "I-ss that really what you need?"

"Isn't that what everyone needs?" Xu Wen replies. "Couldn't you use a million dollars?"

"Not really," Hengci answers, and Xu Wen stills for a moment. And then a wide smile spreads across his lips. He straightens, his body shaking slightly from his quiet laughter.

Hengci mourns the loss of his embrace as he turns around to face him. But he consoles himself with the fact that they are now standing quite close to each other. So close infact, that it would be obvious to anyone passing by that their relationship is anything but normal.

He doesn’t care.

"You’ve always been so simple," Xu Wen's eyes rove over his face. "Do you still draw?"

"Only when I think of you."

"And how often is that?"

"Everyday."

Xu Wen's eyes widenes. "So you draw every day?"

"Maybe," Hengci breathes.

Xu Wen smiles. "Have your skills improved?"

"I don’t know."

"What do you draw?"

"You."

Xu Wen's smile falters. Amused, Hengci moves even closer, and grabs the edges of his jacket.

"Hengci," Xu Wen's tone has a note of warning.

"Calm down," Hengci says. "I don't draw that often."

Xu Wen's hand rests on his to get him to let go but Hengci refuses. "And... we might not meet again," he looks into his eyes. "I'm just holding your jacket. Nothing else."

With a sigh, Xu Wen's hand lowers and falls to his side.

"Are you in school?" Xu Wen's voice is low.

Hengci shakes his head. "I took a break. I'll go back soon."

"Where did you get into?"

"Let's talk about something else."

"I want to know," Xu Wen insists, eyes boring into his.

"South East. Nanjing."

"Oh. That's great. And your major?"

"Architecture."

"Really? That’s great."

"I know how to draw."

Xu Wen smiles, and Hengci loses his breath. "I'm sure it requires more than that."

Hengci doesn’t look away.

"So you're going to be an architect?"

"Maybe?"

Xu Wen cocks his head. "You don't like it? Is there something you like more?"

Hengci hesitates, but then he reminds himself that he will never have this moment again, so he throws all caution to the wind.

"I do," he replies.

"What is it?"

"You."

Xu Wen gives him a dry look.

"I'm serious," Hengci smiles, and pulls him in even closer.

"I know you are," he says. "Does it have anything to do with why you're still in this city?"

"It does. This hotel in fact."

Xu Wen's expression is perplexed. "You were hoping to run into me?"

Hengci is amused. "How? And why? You don't live here anymore, and even if you did, what difference would running into you make? Like now. I can't ever have you. Right?"

Xu Wen watches him, and Hengci's heart races wildly within his chest. He jerks Xu Wen, causing his back to meet the wall. "Right?"

Xu Wen nods in response.

His hand then lifts and strokes Hengci's cheek. "I didn’t know you'd fall in love with me, and that it'd last for this long."

"I didn’t know either," Hengci says.

"I guess I should have kept my distance."

"You saved me. Remember?" Hengci says. "I can't believe you're even speaking to me right now."

Xu Wen smiles.

"Let's go back to you," Hengci says. "Is that all you really need? A million dollars? It'll solve your problems?"

"Why?" Xu Wen's eyes flashes in amusement. "Are you going to give it to me?"

"Maybe," Hengci says, and Xu Wen laughs.

"How?"

"That's not for you to worry about."

Xu Wen laughs again, and this time it takes a little while longer for him to regain his calm.

"Oh," he sighs as he tenderly strokes Hengci's hair away from his face. "I've truly missed you."

"I'm serious," Hengci shakes him by the jacket again.

"About what?" Xu Wen asks. "The million dollars or if it's really all I need?"

Hengci doesn't respond, while Xu Wen revels in his teasing.

"No," he responds. "What I need is space and time alone. Away from everyone and everything. To do the things that I want to. But I can't afford it. That’s what the million dollars can solve."

"Did you… d-did you take that job? At your previous company?"

"I turned it down," he said, and Hengci exhales in relief. He soon finds out however that this is premature when Xu Wen continues.

"But I had to go back about four years ago to ask for it again."

"Why?"

"The studio I was working for closed down. I was expecting a child at the time, and the position they were offering paid the highest out of everywhere else. So I had to return with my tail between my legs."

Hengci feels as though he has been caught by the legs, and rammed into a boulder.

'You have a child?' he wants to ask, but doesn't dare. And so something vile and bitter begins to pool in the pit of his stomach.

This seems to break this moment of connection between them, as they become aware of the low hum of chatter around as well as a couple passing by.

The lady is attentive and is able to make them out in their corner. She then pulls on her partner's sleeve and they both turn with slightly widened eyes to the two men melded to each other in the corner.

With a sigh, Xu Wen begins to pull away and Hengci panics.

He panics and then he steps out of line.

Leaning up, and before Xu Wen can move way, he kisses him.

Xu Wen freezes solid on the spot.

Hengci too goes still, but it is not out of shock.

Rather, it is because of what this kiss does to him. It's been seven long years and yet this brief taste is sweeter and more potent than anything and anyone else he has tasted.

He feels the wetness of Xu Wen's lips on his, and his tongue slips out to lick across it, savouring every bit. The kiss had not been deep but it hadn't been shallow either. It had been a stolen one, and Hengci had ensured to get as much as he could with it.

Currently, he feels dazed, the world around somewhat spinning, and his body's strength- drained. Just like the first time, and every single time afterwards.

He releases his hold on Xu Wen's jacket, knowing that he can no longer insist on holding on. It will be fruitless, and he no longer has the strength anyway. So instead, slowly and unapologetically lifts his gaze to stare into the kindest, most beautiful eyes he has ever known.

"Someone asked me today why I always watch the door," he mutters. "I didn't even realize it. Waiting... and hoping to see you again became my habit, and I didn’t even realize it. I'm happy. It was worth it. Maybe if I wasn't paying attention, I wouldn't even have realized that you were in the bar."

Xu Wen's stare at him remains wide-eyed and unblinking.

"I'm not sorry," he says. "For the kiss. You can hate me for it, but don't chastise yourself. It's solely my wrong... not yours."

Xu Wen stares at him for a while longer, and then to Hengci's surprise, warm hands suddenly cradle the undersides of his face.

Before Hengci can understand why he is being held in place, Xu Wen's head tilts above, and seals against Hengci's lips.

Hengci struggles to find anything to hold onto, arms flailing, but it soon becomes clear that Xu Wen's arms are his only option.

He feels the hard bulge of Xu Wen's biceps as he grabs him, and in the moments afterwards, does not see or hear anything.

All he does, is feel.

The sudden surge of pleasure that sizzles up his spine, and then the crippling warmth that floods his insides as Xu Wen kisses him without pause.

It draws a long, fevered moan from Hengci and sends his hand to the back of Xu Wen's neck. Hengci licks into his mouth, his tongue sliding and sucking on Xu Wen's in the way that he knows that he loves, matching his intensity with near similar desperation.

And this in a nutshell is what this kiss truly is- a desperation, to reconnect and to give and take as much as is possible from the one person that drains but then fuels them like no other.

Hengci is turned around, his back pressed to the wall and then Xu Wen's hands are in his hair and around his waist, kissing him even harder.

Blood roars in his ears.

He becomes dizzy, but manages to hold on to the front of Xu Wen's shirt for support. He then feels Xu Wen's hardness, prodding against his and cannot then stop his hand from sliding down to hook into the waistband of his pants. He doesn't plan on going any further, after all, they are out in public and Xu Wen … is not his.

Nevertheless, he intrudes as intimately as is possible with one hand, while the other goes behind to press Xu Wen even harder against him.

Hengci wishes he can somehow dissolve into the warmth, scent, and bliss of him and never emerge, but Xu Wen suddenly pulls away.

Hengci panics again, his breathing coming in harsh, haggered spurts that he soon realizes mirrors that of Xu Wen's.

Their gazes lock, and then they encase each other in a tight desperate embrace.

"I'll tell my friends goodbye," Xu Wen suddenly says, and Hengci stills. "Get us a room and wait for me at the elevator."

Hengci doesn't move, certain that he has misheard him. Even after Xu Wen unfastens Hengci's arms from around him, Hengci can only stare dazedly into his eyes.

"Five minutes okay?" Xu Wen asks, and Hengci finally comes to his senses.

"Let's just go now," he says as he processes what he needs to. "You'll change your mind otherwise."

"I won't," Xu Wen assures him, but Hengci doesn't believe this.

"I'll be right back," he says, and pulls his phone out of his pocket. He unlocks it, generates a code and hands it over to Hengci.

"Pay with this," he says. "I'll be right back."

And then with one last kiss pressed to Hengci's forehead, he turns around and walks away.